Professionalism and ethics learning portfolio Essay - 1

Professionalism and ethics learning portfolio - Essay Example l issues in the legal profession: â€Å"First, do no harm.† In applying this adage to the legal profession, analysts point out that, in recent years, many lawyers have forgotten about their commitment to justice and the rule of law. At times that goes against the very tenets of legal success. While humility and sacrifice is valued in the medical field, it can be a career killer in legal circles. Maybe instead we could slip in â€Å"First do much harm† instead. That is not to say that all legal professionals are arrogant and self-serving, but legal practice often rewards these qualities nonetheless. Generally speaking, law is now guided by an established philosophical school: ethical egoism; that is, doing what is best for oneself is what is best for the world. Some practitioners and interest groups point out that there may be a need for a Hippocratic Oath for law graduates in order to ensure that illegal and unethical practices in the legal profession would be avoided. An analysis by Evans (n.d) reveals that implementing a Hippocratic Oath for lawyers may work well for the legal profession; however, it may also just remain an empty symbol because in essence, the legal profession is very much different from the medical practice. The medical profession, from the very beginning, incorporates and emphasizes among their students the importance of ‘first, doing no harm.’ Among law students and new lawyers however, the message is not transmitted and emphasized enough. Evans (n.d) also points out that the legal practice is filled with activities which circumvent the laws; these practices also often skate the thin line between the ethical and unethical. And yet, most lawyers are aware of this practice among their colleagues and given the same opportunity, would use such strategies too. With this premise in the legal practice, Evans (n.d) once again points out how, in the legal practice, â€Å"honesty is all very well, but how does honesty allow tax avoidance, but not

Assignment 3 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

3 - Assignment Example systematic consistency with the English Language style and presentation guidelines f) no unacknowledged use of the work of other people or sources (1) In preparation to this coursework, One of the things I did was to read a lot of books and articles so as to improve my language and linguistic skills. Another thing that I did in preparation to this courswork was to listen to several movies and songs with different accents and dialects so as to improve my understanding of phonetics and phonology. (2) i. Into The Flames’. Chapter 1 of: Sheehy, Gail. 1999. Hillary’s Choice. Random House, New York. (a) I choose the part where Bill Clinton fell in love with a divorced woman in Arkansas in the late 1980’s leading to Hillary contemplating divorcing him. In this part, the linguistic formulation gives rise to the effect of portraying Hillary as a strong woman. The syntax in this part of the book is that the words and the sentences are arranged to first of all show that Hil lary was not to blame for her husband falling in love with the other woman and hence makes it a sad ordeal for her and then brings the element of decision making and perseverance and hence portraying her as a very strong woman who is able to handle difficult situations and come out victorious. (b) This writing is a bibliography. It talks about the life of Hillary Clinton. One linguistic feature of the text which is associated with this kind of writing is writing in retrospect as it is an account of past events. (c) One inference I have made from reading the text is that women are very strong emotionally. (d) The evidence in the text which support my inference is the fact that Hillary, a woman, was able to stand the emotional stress of her husband falling in love with another woman who was the Arkansas divorcee and also allegedly cheating on her with Monica a state house intern. (e) Aspects of the language used in this text have led me to make this inference as they have portrayed Hi llary as having been subjected to a lot of emotional torture as a woman. She played her role as a wife perfectly but somehow all did not go well for her. The language used in this text makes one feel pity and compassion for Hillary. The fact that she comes over all the challenges that faced her indeed portrays her as very strong and as a typical woman, hence leading to my inference that women are very strong. (f) In order to make it less likely to make this inference, a relevant passage in the text would be one which describes Hillary as a special woman who is extremely different from all other woman and thus making it clear that all her actions and decisions are unique to her alone and no other woman on earth. (3) (ii) WRITING AND ANALYSIS: a) Produce a piece of writing of up to 1000 words which represents ONE of the following: a newspaper article commenting on a recent news story (you can decide what the story is and choose a real or invented one) Should the UK have invited Presid ent Kenyatta? The UK government plaid host to the newly elected President of the republic of

Public School Funding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Public School Funding - Essay Example Consequently, there is a need to examine what the major problems within the education system are. If the nations' students are lacking solid support from this very important system, then their future may also be in danger. Results also show students are leaving high school with very little understanding of the core subjects thus rendering them unprepared for college life. (O'Neil, 2002) One of the most difficult issues to deal with in education is its funding. The funding process needs to be made in such a manner that it ensures effectiveness, efficiency and fairness. In the US, schools are funded though local taxes generated for property taxes. The use of such a method has generated a lot of controversy between different stakeholders within the education system. However, this particular essay will focus on parents and the role that they can play in reforming public education system funding. A number of experts have asserted that utilizing property taxes is ineffective owing to the fact that children coming from rich districts generate more property taxes since their homes have a higher value while those ones from poorer districts have to contend with less amounts of finance for schooling. This means that schools within this poor districts lack adequate resources, are more crowded and therefore yield poorer results. Through the property tax system, the amount of money spent on each student within the public system can vary from one thousand five hundred dollars to about fifteen dollars in other districts. There is a grave disparity between these systems and it can be seen clearly that the education system favors children from wealthy background while limiting the opportunities available to those from low income households. (Linn, 2005) Some people argue that funding is just a small portion of the problems within the education system. However, the fact of the matter remains that schools cannot run without finances and no people understand this more than parents who provide the reason for having these institutions as well. In urban districts classified as low income, it is common to find homes that cost as little as four thousand dollars. On the other hand in suburban and wealthy districts, one is likely to find houses that go for as much as four hundred thousand dollars. From this comparison, it can be seen that the amount of taxes raised by the latter communities are much higher than those ones raised by the former ones. As if this is not enough, poorer neighborhoods are taxed a little more than their counterparts but this effort has not paid off owing to the fact that the amount garnered is quite low and providing higher tax rates only serve to add more pressure in low income households without reflecting this on school performance. Issues are further compounded by the fact property taxes are treated as deductions and this means that wealthy families can therefore get portions of that tax back from the federal government. Because houses in wealthy suburbs are much higher than in other residential areas, then the amount of tax refunds is much higher. This means that wealthier parents have greater finances at their disposals and they can therefore make more contributions towards important public services such as education. In the end, people from low income households are unable to generate high amounts of money to fund their schools and this minimizes the quality of their education

Essay question about The big switch Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Question about The big switch - Essay Example Even not being a professional, Geoff could develop a programmable world wide computing. It is in this very chapter, that forms the beginning of the second part of the book, Carr encapsulated the concept of cloud computing. The prime feature of cloud computing is that it does not require the typical mainframe computer to store all the data in one single computer. Rather, one can easily share it within the network through host servers. As it has been discussed by Nicholas Carr, cloud computing is generally used as third party product and as the businesses can have professional expertise for all the matters like hosting, servers and domains and also as they can store all of their information over such networks, it definitely helps them in focusing upon their core competencies. The business organizations can forego the huge capital investments for setting up and maintaining own networks. The demerit is that the business firms have to depend upon the external institutions and it might lea d to matters like information theft or failure of the servers. But still there is almost no doubt that the cloud computing has enabled the business organizations to have much better information technology architecture. ‘The Big Switch’ by Nicholas Carr has definitely won the test of time as it proposes and proves one after the other burning issues faced by the business organizations of present day with respect to information technology. In the chapter seven of the book, Carr considers one of the most debated topics of the period i.e. the reduction of employment because of extensive usage of information technology. It is a fact that the computers can do the work of quite a few employees and that too much efficiently. Therefore, Hellmut Schutte rightly thinks that the machines are definitely replacing human workforce. Though the entire matter is unfortunate as old time employees are losing their jobs but the fact is that the multi national corporations of

Amazon Long Tail Essay Example for Free

Amazon Long Tail Essay The long tail is a phenomenon whereby firms can make money by offering a near-limitless selection the term was coined by Chris Anderson, an editor at Wired magazine, and I feel both Amazon and Netflix have a long tail model since they can offer things that many stores don’t carry so there is always something for someone. (Gallaugher) I feel like Amazon has done a great job of using the long tail method and have a limitless selection of anything someone could ever want or need. I find that I can see things I have never even dreamed about. I only buy books there but it is good to browse. Amazon â€Å"Offer{s} a nearly limitless selection and something interesting happens: there’s actually more money to be made selling the obscure stuff than the hits. At Amazon.com, roughly 60 percent of books sold are titles that aren’t available in even the biggest Borders or Barnes Noble Superstores†.(Anderson 2004) â€Å"Amazon.com is a Fortune 500 e-commerce company based in Seattle, WA. Amazon was one of the first big companies to sell goods over the Internet. The company was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, and launched in 1995. They started out as an online bookstore and then quickly diversified by adding other items, such as VHS tapes and DVDs, music CDs, software, video games, electronics, MP3s, clothing, furniture, toys and even food items.† (Schneider) â€Å"Amazon took its long tail strategy in a totally new direction, offering its Prime customers (those who pay a $79 annual fee for free 2-day shipping) a wide selection of streaming movies and television shows, for free. The move is a direct slap at Netflix, a company that started with a focus on renting hard-to-find, long tail DVDs but which has moved increasingly toward popular blockbusters as its video streaming operations ramp up. Amazon will not have nearly as many recent and popular releases in its free offer as Netflix, but for people who are open to Amazons viewing suggestions its hard to beat free† (Wunker, 2011). This can show how the differences of how companies charge money for similar services can affect the long tail view. I feel that it is hard to have a long tail kind of company because of the competition â€Å"The long tail gives the firm a selection advantage (or one based on scale) that traditional stores simply cannot match.† This is both true of Amazon and of Netflix while Netflix can stream its videos Amazon has to send out its products by post. (Gallaugher) â€Å"The IT Department at Amazon.com also has a massive responsibility, as they oversee an enormous system that is extremely reliable. Amazon.com describes their IT group as â€Å"system, database, and networking experts (that) build and operate highly reliable, scalable distributed systems with terabyte-sized databases and infrastructure that can handle a massive number customers (Schneider) Knowing all of this It is used makes it easier for Amazon to fine tune its company and find the best fits for its customers. It is true that Netflix and Amazon have an endless stock and don’t need to keep them in house but in time Amazon will fully own the business as it expands and offers more products for less. Amazon is global but it is unheard of to use Netflix here in Korea. I actually can use different free sites to stream free videos since the copy right laws in Korea are a bit flexible. In conclusion both companies seem to be doing well in the long tail area but Netflix may fail in the near future unless it ventures out to new and different things. Amazon will crush it if they don’t adapt soon.

Coffee and Starbuck Essay Example for Free

Coffee and Starbuck Essay Summarize the overall strategy of Starbucks Management in its effort to create and develop a new concept and a rapidly expanding company. The overall goal of Starbucks Management was to create an American version of the Italian coffee bars that Howard Schultz had experienced first-hand in Milan. He believed that Starbucks should function as an important part of the community, as a meeting place for its customers. He wanted Starbucks to become an experience that would differentiate itself from its competitors. One of their key strategies in meeting this goal is a focus on customer service in order to create an experience for its consumers. Another one of their strategies is to ignite their emotional attachment with consumers. They also have a commitment to improving their business through better training, tools, and products and to give attention to store-level economics and operating efficiency. All of these are prongs to their strategy that will allow Starbucks management to turn Starbucks into a location where people don’t just go to grab coffee, but to experience the atmosphere of an Italian coffee shop. Another prong to their strategy is to offer many different products and to distribute them among a variety of distribution methods. Which one of the five generic competitive strategies discussed in Chapter 5 most closely approximates the competitive approach that Starbucks is employing? There are five generic competitive strategies that can be employed and they are low-cost provider strategy, broad differentiation strategy, focused low-cost strategy, focused differentiation strategy, and best-cost provider strategy. The strategy that Starbucks uses is broad differentiation where they seek to differentiate their product offerings from rivals’ with attributes that will appeal to a large variety of consumers. The key market characteristic for the strategy of differentiation to work is that buyers’ needs and preferences are very diverse and cannot be satisfied with a standardized product offering. This is an evident characteristic of the market because consumers all have different preferences on the way they like their coffee. Which is the reason why Starbucks offers many different product options like lattes, skinny lattes, coffee, iced drinks, blended drinks, etc. They also offer fruit cups, water, and bakery items to provide even more options for their consumers. If a differentiation strategy is successfully implemented the firm will be able to do one of the following: command a premium price for its products, increase unit sales, and/or gain buyer loyalty to its brand. Starbucks has some of the highest prices for the type of products they offer and people tend to be extremely loyal to whatever coffee they are used to purchasing, because they trust the quality. Methods to enhance differentiation 1. Create superior product features, design, and performance Starbucks has a superior knowledge of coffee and a commitment to providing customers with quality coffees. Providing top-quality, fresh-roasted whole-bean coffee was the company’s differentiating feature and a core value since the beginning of its founding. Couches, fireplaces, newspapers, drive-through windows, kiosks in supermarkets and other public places were added to locations depending on what would add value to their consumers. Due to their focus on providing a different experience depending on the location of the store, their international strategy is a multi-domestic approach. The core characteristics of each new store was based on local materials and craftsmanship, a focus on reused and recycled materials and exposure of structural integrity and authentic roots. Most important of all they believed that coffee should be central and that distractions should be removed. They believed that the combination of all these elements should tell a story that would engage the consumer’s five senses and provide them with flexibility to meet the needs of the many different consumers that would be attracted to Starbucks. 2. Improving customer service or adding additional features When Howard Schultz first became part of the company he realized that one key problem Starbucks was having was that first-time consumers often felt uneasy about their absence of knowledge about high-quality coffee. An additional problem was that the employees came off as arrogant and unapproachable. He then worked with employees to teach them about friendly customer service and created a pamphlet to teach new customers about coffee. He also began to offer part-time employees health insurance and a stock option plan for all employees, because he believed that if a company treated their employees well, then they would in turn treat their consumers well. The additional features that Starbucks offers are fireplaces, couches, music, Wi-Fi access, ability to use paid sites and services like Wall Street Journal’s site, exclusive content and previews, free downloads, local community news, and activities. 3. Pursuing production RD activities Starbucks is constantly brewing new flavors and blends to offer their consumers a variety of coffee to try. Flavors are rotated daily or weekly to offer constant variety. They also test new product offerings like Frappuccino’s, Lattes, Skinny Lattes, and seasonal drinks. 4. Striving for innovation and technological advances One way that Starbucks was able to constantly strive for innovation was by controlling the cost of opening and renovating stores by centralizing buying, developing standard contracts and fixed fees for certain items, and consolidating work under those contractors who displayed good cost-control practices. Starbucks retail operations group outlined the minimum amount of equipment each store would need. This meant that standard items could be ordered from vendors in volume at 20 to 30 percent discounts. The items would then be delivered to the site from a warehouse or from the vendor. A technological advance was that they used computer software to build store layouts that would calculate costs as the design progressed. This cut costs by a significant amount and shortened the process of opening a store to 18 weeks. 5. Increasing intensity of marketing and sales activities Originally, Starbucks didn’t spend a lot of money on advertising, because they relied mostly on word-of-mouth. In 2008 McDonald’s stepped up their advertising to highlight their McCafe coffee drinks. In order to counter this Starbucks undertook the largest advertising campaign ever. 6. Seeking out high-quality inputs Starbucks promotes environmentally sustainable practices in coffee cultivation methods and have specific guidelines they follow called Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices that help farmers to grow high quality coffees in environmentally beneficial ways. In 2000 they began purchasing their coffee organically and a growing percentage of their coffees were grown organically as well as Fair Trade Certified. 7. Improving employee skill, knowledge, and experience Starbucks has a commitment to training their employees so that they are better able to serve their customers. All partners and baristas receive at least 24 hours of training in their first two to four weeks on topics such as coffee history, drink preparation, coffee knowledge, customer service (for a total of 4 hours), and retail skills. Baristas in particular are required to learn how to grind beans, steam milk, pull perfect shots of espresso, memorize recipes, practicing how to mix drinks, and how to customize drinks. Sessions also include how to operate the cash register, clean the milk wand, explain the Italian drink names, and making eye contact with customers. Management trainees are required to attend classes for 8-12 weeks and learn about store operations, practices, and procedures. When a new store is opened a Star Team of experienced employees are sent to make sure everything runs smoothly. From time to time, Starbucks conducts special training programs, including a coffee masters program, leadership training program, and career programs for partners in all types of jobs. When does a differentiation strategy work best? A differentiation strategy works best when buyer needs and uses of the product are diverse, there are many ways to differentiate the product or service that have value to buyers, few rival firms are following a comparable differentiation approach, and technological change is fast paced and competition revolves around rapidly evolving product features. Starbucks’ actions to differentiate their product line They have expanded their product offerings along many different distribution channels by capitalizing on their growing brand name and awareness. First they were able to market their product to restaurants, airlines, hotels, universities, hospitals, business offices, country clubs, and select retailers. United Airlines, Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, Radisson, Westin hotels, and Wells Fargo all began to serve Starbucks coffee. A joint venture with PepsiCo came with the sale of a bottled version of the Frappucino drink and Starbucks Doubleshot espresso drinks. In 2008, they partnered with Suntory to sell ready-to-drink Doubleshot drinks in Japan. In 2010 a partnership with Arla Foods spread Doubleshot products and Starbucks chilled cup coffees into retail stores in the UK. A 1995 partnership with Dryers created a new line of coffee ice cream under Starbucks names that was later disbanded in 2008. At this time the rights to manufacture, market, and distribute Starbucks ice cream was given to Unilever. In 1998 Kraft Foods began marketing and distributing whole bean and ground coffee to supermarkets in the US. Tazo Tea was acquired by Starbucks in 1999 and in 2005 they acquired Ethos Water. A partnership with Jim Beam Brands created Starbucks Coffee Liqueur in 2004 and Starbucks Cream Liqueur in 2005. In order to offer healthier options they began offering skinny lattes, banana walnut bread, fruit cups, yogurt parfaits, a farmer’s salad, and smoothies in 2008. Also in 2008, Starbucks responded to customer’s wishes to have a blend of coffee that was always in stores. They created the Pike Place Roast in order to satisfy these customers. 2009 saw the introduction of VIA instant coffee. In 2009 the retail sales mix of Starbucks was 76% beverages, 18% food items, 3 percent coffee-making equipment and other merchandise, and 3% whole bean coffees. What are the key policies, practices, business principles, and procedures that underlie how Howard Schultz and Starbucks’ management have implemented and executed the company’s strategy? Key Policies, Practices, Business Principles, and Procedures The key policies that have been implemented can be broken down into five groups. First is how the company goes about expanding the number of Starbucks stores. The second is their international expansion practices. The third group is their staff training. The fourth is their principles towards ethical business practices. Fifth, is their coffee roasting practices. Store Expansion Starbucks management’s approach to store expansion is using a hub city approach. After a suitable demographic area is chosen Starbucks begins to open up stores in a large city that serves as its hub. After about 20 stores are opened in this hub city, they will then move on to the surrounding areas that are the spokes. This expansion strategy serves to create buzz and brand recognition for the company in an area that has a high amount of foot traffic before moving into a location that has less customer traffic. When a new area was selected for expansion a group of professionals were sent to facilitate the opening. Starbucks also had zone vice presidents who would oversee the expansion process and instill the culture of Starbucks in the new stores. International Expansion When expanding internationally Starbucks has two options; they either open company-owned and operated stores or license to a company that has a good reputation and the knowledge of retailing in that area. Starbucks prefers to license, rather than franchise because licensing provides more assurance of quality control. When they move into foreign markets one of their practices is to use a partner or license to help recruit individuals for employees, set up relationships with suppliers, find store locations, and learn how to cater to local market conditions. For stores that were licensed Starbucks would receive a license fee and a royalty on sales. Companies that were licensed to supply Starbucks coffee were required to follow their detailed operating procedures. Not only that, but managers and employees were required to attend the same training as employees at company-owned stores. Staff Training As mentioned previously, employees are put through an extensive amount of training to learn daily practices and how to treat customers. They are put through this training because customer service is so integral to their organization. Some of the things that baristas learn in their 24 hours of training are coffee history, drink preparation, coffee knowledge, customer service, retail skills, and beverage preparation. Beverage preparation includes grinding the beans, steaming milk, pulling a perfect shot of espresso, memorizing the recipes, practicing the drinks, and learning how to customize drinks. Finally, partners were trained on cash register operations, how to clean the milk wand, how to explain Italian drink names, how to sell espresso machines, making eye contact, interacting with consumers, and taking responsibility for the cleanliness of the store. Not only that but they had many rules that needed to be learned as well such as: milk needs to be steamed to 150 degrees Fahrenheit but not more than 170 degrees, an espresso shot not pulled within 23 seconds needs to be thrown out, coffee can’t sit in the pot more than 20 minutes, and disgruntled customers were given a coupon for a free drink. Managers were required to go even more in depth with their training. Ethical Business Principles Starbucks purchases products that are Fair Trade Certified, meaning that farmers make a fair amount of money for their products. They are very involved in Corporate Social Responsibility and take a number of measures to reduce, reuse, and recycle. They are also committed to purchasing from companies that use environmentally sustainable growing practices. Coffee Roasting Practices Coffee recipes are put together by the coffee department once all components have been tested. In order to be sure of consistency computerized roasters are used. Trained personnel are required to monitor the process by using hearing and their sense of smell to check when the beans are perfectly done. There are extremely exacting standards that must be met and the color of the beans is tested in a blood-cell analyzer and if it doesn’t meet the requirements the batch is discarded. Directly after roasting and cooling coffee is vacuum-sealed into bags that are guaranteed to preserve freshness for 26 weeks. However, policy says that after three months they need to be used. Once opened the shelf life is seven days. What â€Å"values† does Starbucks have? How well do they connect to the strategy and to the manner in which the company conducts its business? Are they successful in implementing to them? The values that Starbucks consider important are included in their mission statement and those are: 1) Coffee: They are committed to providing their consumers with top-quality coffee that is ethically sourced, and to improve the lives of the people who grow the beans. They do this through a variety of methods. First is their Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices (C. A. F. E Practices). These practices specify product quality, that the price received by farmers/growers is fair, that safe and humane working conditions are being used, and that the methods of growing are environmentally responsible. Second, they do not add artificial flavorings to their coffee beans. Third, they have Farmer Support Centers in Costa Rica and Rwanda. These support centers were staffed with agronomists and experts on environmentally responsible coffee growing methods and worked with coffee farming communities to promote best practices in coffee production They also worked to improve coffee quality and production yields. 2) Partners: In order to better care for their employees Starbucks has a health care plan available for all employees, a stock purchase plan, employee training, and employee recognition. Some of their employee recognition awards include Coffee Master awards, Certified Barista awards, Spirit of Starbucks awards, Manager of the Quarter, Green Apron awards, Green Bean awards, and Bravo! Awards, 3) Customers: They value connecting with customers and uplifting the lives of consumers by providing the perfectly made beverage and going the extra mile for their customers. Employees are trained to take heroic measures to make customers happy. 4) Stores: Starbucks management’s goal was to create the stores to be a haven where customers belong and meet with friends. They do this by creating a store ambience, having interesting music playing, leather couches to sit and read newspapers in, and they make sure that nothing overpowers the smell of coffee. 5) Neighborhood: Their stores are part of its community and to be a force of positive good in the area. One way they do this is by using local materials and craftsmanship. They are also extremely involved in Corporate Social Responsibility. The commitment to do the right thing has been a significant part of how Starbucks operates as a company ever since Schultz became CEO. Starbucks has been named to Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s list of â€Å"The 100 Best Corporate Citizens† for the 10th time in 2010. 6) Shareholders: Starbucks is committed to getting all of the above values right so that they can help everyone that is involved and affected by Starbucks thrive. What is your evaluation of Starbucks social responsibility strategy? How much does it help to create their public image? Starbucks CSR strategy has four main parts which are: 1) Ethical sourcing of products: They do this through their C. A. F. E Practices, purchasing Fair Trade Certified products, and buying from manufacturers that have a commitment to environmental and social responsibility. 2) Community involvement: Starbucks has several organizations to foster community involvement. First, is the Starbucks Youth Action Grants which involves young people in community involvement projects. Second, is their program to give medicine to people suffering from HIV in Africa. Third, is the Ethos Water Fund where they donate 5 cents every time somebody purchases a bottle of Ethos Water. Fourth, they donate money to the Starbucks Foundation which was the fund that was started in 1997 to handle all the Starbucks’ philanthropic actions. 3) Environmental Stewardship: In order to achieve this goal they have several methods. First, they focus on increasing recycling and reducing waste which they do by giving discounts to people who bring in their own mugs, coffee grounds are donated for use as a soil amendment, they take part in Earth Day activities, they purchase paper products with recycled content and unbleached fiber, and they encourage their suppliers to provide energy-efficient products and eliminate unnecessary packaging. They also have commitments to be more energy efficient, use renewable energy sources, conserve water resources, use green facilities, using environmentally friendly building materials and energy-efficient designs. They also have plans to achieve LEED certification globally. In 2009 they became part of the Businesses for Innovative Climate Change and Energy Policy coalition. They have also collaborated with the Earthwatch Institute and work on replanting rain forests, mapping water resources, and biodiversity indicators, and sharing sustainable agriculture practices with coffee growers. 4) Farmer loans: They provide funding to organizations that make loans to coffee growers. Their goal for 2015 is to donate $20 million dollars to these funds. They have also committed money to hurricane Rita and Katrina victims, as well as to help the devastation after the earthquake in Haiti. Having a strong CSR campaign adds to the value of Starbucks’ products if consumers know that they are involved in these activities. It lets consumers know that part of the money they are spending is going to a good cause. By getting on the Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s list of â€Å"The 100 Best Corporate Citizens† for the 10th time in 2010, it increases the knowledge that people have about their CSR strategy. Compare the US and International share of yearly revenue, revenue growth, and operating income/revenue. What do these ratios tell you? What is your overall assessment of Starbucks’ financial performance during fiscal years 2005-2009? Explain the performance of Starbucks stock. Exhibit 1 Comparison of Starbucks Financial Performance in the US and Internationally| | | 9/27/2009| 9/27/2008| 9/30/2007| 10/1/2006| 10/2/2005| Yearly Revenue ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| $ 6,572. 10 | $ 6,997. 70 | $ 6,590. 20 | $ 5,495. 20 | $ 4,359. 50 | | International| $ 1,608. 00 | $ 1,774. 20 | $ 1,437. 40 | $ 1,087. 90 | $ 852. 50 | Revenue Growth ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| -6. 08%| 6. 18%| 19. 93%| 26. 05%| | | International| -9. 37%| 23. 43%| 32. 13%| 27. 61%| | Operating Income/Revenue ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| $ 531. 80 | $ 454. 20 | $ 1,005. 20 | $ 955. 20 | $ 818. 50 | | International | $ 92. 90 | $ 110. 00 | $ 137. 70 | $ 108. 50 | $ 82. 30 | These ratios tell us that overall they have been increasing their revenue growth by significant percentages of an average of 20% internationally and 12% domestically. Domestically the amount of revenue growth per year slowed down in 2008 and went negative in 2009. Revenue growth also went negative in 2008 internationally. This makes sense because 2008 was the beginning of the economic downturn which affected the company’s bottom line. Operating income has fluctuated quite a bit since 2005 and since its peak in 2007 ($1,0005. 20 million) has decreased significantly to $531. 80 million. Internationally it has remained steadier at an average of $106. 28 million. Again these numbers make sense because it was in 2008-2009 that the economic downturn occurred and Schultz instituted strategic initiatives and revamped strategy execution efforts to fix these financial problems. One reason that the economic downturn affected Starbucks’ bottom line badly is because it was considered a treat to go to Starbucks and to get coffee that wasn’t brewed at the home. Less people were indulging in coffee by the cup. In 2006 and 2007 Starbucks reached its peak growth in the period displayed in exhibit 1. This is represented in the stock chart because it is also when their stock performance reached its peak at 40. The lowest point on the stock chart was in 2008 which makes sense because this is when the economic downturn occurred so many people were selling stocks. In 2008-2009 Schultz’s measures to institute strategic initiatives and revamp strategy execution efforts began and clearly worked because in the period of time from 2008-2010 stocks returned to almost 30. What are the key elements and your evaluation of Howard Schultz’s transformation agenda for Starbucks during 2008-2010? What do you think of the letters shown on page C-364 and C-365? Has Schultz done a good job since his return as Starbucks’ CEO? Why or why not? Elements of the Transformation Agenda Howard Schultz’s transformation agenda during 2008-2010 had several key elements. First, he planned on slowing new store openings to 73 internationally. Second, 900 underperformed company-owned stores were closed in the United States. The goal of this action was to raise sales and traffic at nearby sales. Around 75% of these stores that were considered underperforming were within three miles of an existing store which shows that their strategy of having a Starbucks everywhere was cannibalizing their sales. The third element of the transformation agenda was raising the projected return on capital requirements for proposed new store locations. This is a way for Schultz to be more particular about new store placement and to have a better chance of making a significant amount of profit and not losing traffic to existing stores. Fourth, he planned on revamping the company’s locations in Australia with a focus on Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney as the hub cities. He planned on closing 61 under-performing locations in order to do this. Fifth, it was important to Schultz that there be an emphasis on developing new store designs in order to promote a refreshed customer experience. In order to do this the character of each store would be a reflection of the area it was in to make the customers feel more at home and to make Starbucks the center of that community. Sixth, customer experience would be heightened through a variety of methods. The first method was by removing warmed sandwiches from the menu, because it inhibited the aroma from the coffee. Second, high-quality baked goods and pastries would be offered at the store along with new menu items for healthy eating on the go. For example, fruit cups, skinny lattes, yogurt parfaits, salads, smoothies, and healthier bakery selections were all a result of this step in Schultz’s transformation agenda. The seventh part of the agenda was to create a program to share best practices in stores globally, this would promote quality control and improve customer service, which was one of the things that Schultz had found lacking when he became CEO again. Eighth, Schultz thought it was important to provide resources and tools for store employees such as laptops and internet-based software for scheduling. Ninth, there were cost-containment initiatives put in place in order to improve the bottom line that included a reduction of 1,000 people in staffing. Finally, the last part of the agenda was to renew the attention placed on employee training in order to reignite the enthusiasm to please customers that is vital to the mission of Starbucks. Evaluation The goal for 40,000 stores worldwide as a long-term objective and the rapid expansion that Jim Donald began led to a decrease in customer traffic in the US stores, new store openings that continued at a rate of 6 per day worldwide, and the emphasis on increased store operations efficiency put financial strain on the company and led to a decrease in customer service. Good customer service is one of the cornerstone values of Starbucks and was a central idea during Schultz’ leadership. Schultz’ return to CEO and his strategic initiatives mentioned above will help to return Starbucks to the values it originally held as very important and to return it to profitability by slowing down on expansion to focus more on the three main themes Schultz saw as important to his strategy. These themes are: strengthening the core, elevating the experience, and investing and growing. Before he can focus on growing the company, they need to have a strong base of employees and a focus on the experience that Starbucks is meant to provide its consumers. Letters from Schultz The letters that are shown on page C-364 and C-365 of the case show that Schultz is dedicated to his shareholders, which is one of the values in their mission statement. He is being extremely open and upfront the concerns of shareholders and about the actions that will be taken to address those issues. The first letter is addressed to customers and he explains that he has come back to Starbucks as CEO in order to ensure that the customers receive the experience that he believes Starbucks is known for. This letter shows that he truly cares about the thoughts and concerns of consumers. The second letter is to the employees of Starbucks. In this letter Schultz addresses them as partners in the path to revitalizing Starbucks’ mission. He even says, â€Å"I am proud to be your partner†¦Ã¢â‚¬  By treating his employees like this he is able to foster accountability for the actions that everybody can take in helping to turn around Starbucks to what Schultz’ vision for it is. Evaluation of Schultz’ work. Schultz has done a good job by creating strategic initiatives in order to return Starbucks to where he thinks the company should be. His vision includes becoming the authority on coffee, engaging and inspiring Starbucks’ partners, igniting the emotional attachment with customers, expanding global presence and making each store the neighborhood’s heart, being a leader in ethical sourcing and environmental impact, creating innovative growth platforms, and delivering a sustainable economic model. Every one of these visions is addressed in some way in his agenda, which shows he has a clear idea of where the company should go and how to get it there. In 2008-2009 the company experiences five quarters of deteriorating sales, but from 2009-2010 had five quarters of improving sales, which shows that Schultz’ transformation agenda has been working. What issues confront the company as of mid-2010? What should Starbucks’ management be worried about? What are the challenges in expanding internationally? Issues as of mid-2010. 1) Oversaturation of the market: With the â€Å"A Starbucks Everywhere† approach and the rapid expansion steps taken by Donald, there was a decrease in customer traffic at the stores, resulting in a loss of profit. 2) Lack of emphasis on customer relationships: The emphasis on increased efficiency in store operations led to a decrease in good customer service. 3) Drifting away from the original values of Starbucks: Starbucks was built with an emphasis on high-quality coffee, good customer service, and a commitment to creating an experience for customers. However, when Schultz became CEO again he noted that this was lacking. 4) Offering high-quality products: As Starbucks moves into new locations in order to draw attention away from local popular spots they will need to offer a product that is of high enough quality to keep consumers coming back. 5) Differentiation: Again, as they move into new markets they will need to do significant research to find out what those consumer’s value. They need to be able to give it to them in order to achieve their goal of being the heart of the neighborhood. 6) Coffee prices: Coffee prices fluctuate significantly due to weather, economic, and political conditions in the countries where they are grown. What should management be worried about? Management should be worried about offering high-quality products. If they cannot prove that their product is better due to quality or differentiating features then locations that sell coffee and consumers are already loyal, they will have issues drawing consumers away. However, Starbucks does have an extremely strong brand image and hype associated with their name, which is an asset for them in entering new markets. International Challenges Some challenges that Starbucks will face internationally are: 1) Adapting their stores to fit the location they are in 2) Creating partnerships and licensing agreements with reputable companies to offer their products abroad 3) Regulations on foreign businesses moving into their country 4) Having enough control over the quality in the international stores that are licensed. 5) Higher production costs Starbucks has chosen to follow a multi-domestic approach to international expansion, meaning that they customize their product offerings to match the tastes and preferences of local buyers. The main challenge that Starbucks will face in entering international markets is knowing what that group of people wants and prefers. Another problem is that they will need to make partnerships and licensing agreements with reputable companies in order to be sure that the culture of Starbucks is continued to their new stores. Finally, they will have the issue with tailoring their stores to fit the environment they are in, because they will be unable to use a set design which could raise production costs. What recommendation would you make to Howard Schultz to sustain the company’s growth and support continued strong financial performance in the years ahead? Consider both the US and International strategies. Recommendations * Coordinate with suppliers to address consumers’ needs better: By coordinati.

The Usage Of Metaphors In Pauls Letters Religion Essay

The Usage Of Metaphors In Pauls Letters Religion Essay Reading through the letters of Saint Paul it is clear that he is a master on using metaphors. Actually, one of his main ways to communicate is the using of metaphorical imagery. Inspired by his religious genius, his biblical background and considering that he had a magnificent knowledge of the Hellenism, Paul has all the ingredients to outline a very persuasive speech. Pauls letters were written in order to persuade his audience of the powerful truth of the gospel that he learned from Christ himself. As such Paul is called to preach the crucified Christ in various sets of circumstances and in its many ramifications. Any reader of his letters is delighted by the many images he uses to transmit his message, which are very helpful for the reader to be close of Paul himself. 1. Usage of metaphorical speech by the first Christians As Francois Vouga states, in the early Christianity the pursuit for the truth about the Gospel had accepted a plurality of ways to express the same Creed in order to maintain a fundamental unity. Surely this plurality happened because the impossibility to reduce the God of Jesus Christ to a singles person view or to ones single discourse  [1]  . This could be one of the reasons why that Paul was impelled to use an imagetic language. Generally speaking, in the Bible the metaphors are tropes of language which are largely used to communicate the knowledge and the message of God to his children. As so it is very important to have over and over a deeper understanding of them. At same time each metaphor assumes various significances, in the sense that they can be interpreted starting from different angles  [2]  . Even, the metaphors within themselves can multiply themselves; those are the metaphors squared as Beverly Gaventa likes to call them  [3]  . For instance, when Paul says like a nurse nurturing their own children (2, 7) he his multiplying automatically its meanings. Latter on this work I will take a closer look to this example. 2. How Paul uses metaphor When analyzing a metaphor it is a need to be aware of the context, mainly because the metaphors are always born on a specific environment and refer to it. At same time it is a requirement to pay attention to all hits power: metaphors ask us change our minds  [4]  . Also the relationship between intimacy and metaphor is very important, especially in the paternal imagery that Paul uses  [5]  . Moreover, Paul in his letters uses many powerful images. It is very significant to work of Raymond Collins called The Power of Images in Paul  [6]  . On this book Professor Collins takes up the seven letters of Paul and pulls up the metaphors and all the imagery language that Paul uses. Through this work Raymond Collins concludes that Paul uses the ordinary to describe the extraordinary. Actually, it is correct to say that Paul is skillful on this matter and he uses a wide range of metaphors. Using many sources (for instance: secular language; religious language and biblical themes) Paul intents to speak to various audiences. Certainly Paul tries to persuade his addressees and also clarified them. It is also important that metaphors played an important role in Hellenistic rhetoric mainly because of their philosophical traditions. So, as some of listeners of Paul were Hellenistic he had to speak in their language. Also, he had to trust me to the same doctrine those who had Jewish faith. Meanwhile, being Jew Paul had to appropriate some of his language: For Paul, a Jew addressing a Hellenistic audience, correct relationships with God and ones fictive kin can be summed up in the dyad faith and love. For believers facing the impending eschaton, faith and love must be complemented by hope, the attitude that faith takes in the face of the future  [7]  . II Chapter In the second chapter, I will focus on Pauls itself, in his seven authentic (better, undisputed) letters  [8]  . Afterwards I will isolate some of the sentences where Paul uses the paternal metaphors, does how seemed from my reading of is letters to be the most important on this matter. Also, the order that I present them is according to my understanding of their strength as metaphors. So, after a brief introduction to the letter itself I will do a simple lexical analysis of the Greek words. Doing so, going to a deeper understanding of those metaphors. From there I will draw some of the implications of such images in their contexts as well as in parallel with modern psychology. First letter to the Thessalonians In the first letter to the Thessalonians Saint Paul is quite happy as he writes. This shows Pauls trust that the Thessalonians are following the Lords commandments. As many scholars say, this letter did not pretend to transmit a lot of theories, corrections or teachings. The main goal of Pauls letter was just to show a spiritual closeness to his community, exhorting them to be faithful. About its author in beginning this letter aims to be a coauthored letter (1, 1) by Paul, Silas and Timothy (as it does the second letter to the Thessalonians 2 Thess 1, 1-2). The scholars accept this authorship as true (especially concerning the first Thessalonians). Apparently this correspondence with the Thessalonians were started long after the departure of Paul and his companions from Thessalonica to Athens certainly Paul himself was hoping to come back but was hindered (2, 18), but he managed to send Timothy back. So surely this letters (and perhaps also the second letter also) was written afte r Timothys return with good news from Thessalonica concerning the stability of the community there (3, 6)  [9]  . So from Athens, a little after the year 50, Paul is exulting full of happiness with the good news the Timothy brought, showing at same time his interest for his fellow missionaries  [10]  . Together with Ugo Vanni I agree that there are three different parts on this letter. First off, there is an autobiographical part. On this one he speaks about himself as so as he recalls some aspects of the community. For instance he says We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. (2, 8). For sure, Paul wrought this letter just a few months after the foundation of this community, so it is interesting to see how he indicates right away those highest ideals of Christian faith. The second part Paul exhorts and explains what it means to be a Christian  [11]  . It is also important to note that the first letter to the Thessalonians was very close to the preaching of Paul himself: because the community was just in the beginning when Paul wrote to them. It also signifies that Paul was doing his first experiments on letter writing. Despite their brevity and their relative lack of significantly developed theological themes compared to the other letters in the Pauline corpus, the two letters to the Thessalonians Christians have become the object of much recent examination, particularly in the areas of rhetorical criticism, sociological analysis and the early development of Pauline theology  [12]  . In the beginning of this letter Paul presents himself as a role model of sincerity and integrity for his co-workers. Paul believes that a sincere faith is the key to his success as an apostle. So also, the ministers of the Word should transmit by their own lives the Word that they preach. This means, an incarnate Word. It is fair to say, like in all Pauls letters, that also here he claims the primacy of Jesus for all his work. He, Jesus, is that true center and to which all the communities should gravitate  [13]  . 1. Paul as a nurse lexical analysis 1 Tess 2, 7 (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ° à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÂ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ­Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ³ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¶ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½, à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦)but we were gentle among you, à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã†â€™ à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ° à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ­ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±,  [14]  like a nurse keeping warm her little children  [15]   Chose key words analysis Relations with other Pauline passages and biblical texts Paul wants to be considered in the role of father and mother, founding his authority in Jesus  [16]  . Actually, it is in this context that Paul calls himself a nurse. In Greek the word à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã…’à Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ does not mean a biological mother but an adoptive mother. So this word is full of symbolic meaning. This term refers to one adoptive mother, a nurse. As such, the word à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã…’à Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ gives us a sense of motherhood, and, even though it is not a biological mother, it is a mother who nurses her own children (ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¶ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½)  [17]  . Going deeper in the analysis, it is possible to conclude that Saint Paul shows that, in reality, those children are not his own but Christs children. If that is true, it is also true that he loves them just as if they were his own. Consequently, this metaphor is full of tender care. It is important also to take a look on the verb that expresses the action of nursing: ÃŽÂ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã†â€™. Literally, this verb means to keep warm, like a bird keeping warm her eggs. As Raymond Collins claims, the images used by St. Paul are powerful, In this case he says that the word ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ (children) used by Paul describes his coworkers. He also notes that there are some doubts about this word: some scholars argue that the word here should be ÃŽÂ ®Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ (gentiles). He doesnt agree with that position like most scholars, saying that this word fits better with all the metaphor; it even helps to inten sify it. The word ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ can even be translated as babies, so it goes along well with the word nurse, expressing the closeness and the deep knowledge shared by Paul and the Thessalonians  [18]  . 2. Rhetoric of excess metaphor in the context Context itself Parenetic perspective Affective perspective Theological perspective Apocalyptical perspective Other sources (ancient world use of this imagery) Thus, when Paul was in Athens, he remembered the Thessalonians and was afraid that their faith might weaken. As a result he sent them an affectionate message. As Jerome Murphy-OConnor asserts, Paul had a special concern for newly Christians that they left behind at Tessalonika. Of course they were under attack, as Paul itself was. But the physical persecution was just a part of the problem; the true danger was more subtle as Paul knew the Thessalonians were easily convinced or other doctrines. Paul feared that they would spread because of disillusionment, followed by a disappointment so great as to make them renounce their new faith. If the believers in Thessalonica would come to feel cheated, surely all would be lost  [19]  . 3. Before the modern psychology First letter to the Corinthians As its founder, Paul feels the responsibility to take care, at least through letter writing, of all his communities. The first (and the second) letter to the Corinthians are documents that express that concern of Paul for the community at Corinth and all the communities in the region of Achaia. On first Corinthians especially Paul applies his theological convictions, mainly Christology and Eschatology, when facing practical issues in the church. The authorship of this letter is generally accepted as authentic: is accepted to be Pauls letter (together with Second Corinthians). The foundation of the Church in Corinth (attested by Act 18) took place between the years 49-51 as part of Pauls second missionary journey. After Paul left, the Corinthians had some problems, mainly concerning ethical exclusions. So Paul, as the scholars agree, wrote a letter to them (which was lost) correcting them and giving them some specific advices. From there the Corinthians wrote back saying that they didnt understand or they didnt agree with Paul (also, was lost). So, the canonical first Corinthians followed, answering this letter from the Corinthians (cf. 1 Cor 1, 11; 5, 1; 16, 15-18). Paul was, probably staying in Ephesus trying making arrangements to go to Corinth when he wrote this letter. In the meantime he sent Timothy to visit the Corinthians on his behalf (1 Cor 16, 10-11; Acts 19, 22). This appended between the autumn of 52 and the spri ng of 55. The visit of Timothy, and the sad news brought by him triggered a painful visit of Paul to Corinth (cf. 2 Cor 2, 1; 2, 5-8; 7, 8-13; 11, 4). Then Paul wrote a second letter, which was to be at least a third following the studying line of some scholars, called by many as the tearful letter which he mentions on the second canonical letter (2 Cor 7, 6-13)  [20]  . Concerning to the general structure of First Corinthians it is right to say that it has five main parts. The first part is a salutation (1, 1-3) in witch are two situations that should be note: fist, it is a joint authorship Paul (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) and our brother Sosthenes (even thou afterwards it appears mainly the pronoun I); secondly this letter is addressed to the Corinthians together with all those who are calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place. The second part is a opening thanksgiving in which Paul, despite of the problems of the community, thanks God for them: The problems in Corinth are not due to their spiritual gifts per se, but to their attitude toward and use of them (cf. 12-14). From 1, 10 to 6, 20 is the third part on which Paul responds to the reports that he received about Corinth and also tries to clear Corinthians misunderstanding of his earlier correspondence. The fourth section of this letter responds to the letter from Corinth, dealing wit h specific issues like marriage (cf. 7, 1-40), food an idols (cf. 8, 1-11, 1); on the chapter ten Paul shows what are to be the consequences of their sinful acts, calling them to be instead imitators of him. Between chapters 12 and 14 Paul turns his attention to what means to behave Christlike in worship. Finally Paul closes this part calling to mind the cross of Christ on which he had grounded his letter (cf. 1, 18-25), drawing from there the consequences to the Christians, particularly regarding to the resurrection (cf. 15, 1-16, 12). The letter is completed with some concluding remarks, whit a closing sequence of admonitions (especially the need for perseverance in ones faith as it works itself out in love) and greetings from Paul and those with him in Asia (cf. 16, 13-24)  [21]  . Taking a closer look to the third chapter of first Corinthians, there is a metaphor that, again, shows the deep affection that Paul has for his communities. Despite the immense sin of the recipients, Paul is still showing a tender care in his letter. Actually, this metaphor seems like a strategy to get their attention and to make them listen to something important. Even though Paul was saying that the Corinthians are babies in Christ (ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÃ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ·) and he fed them with milk (ÃŽÂ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±) (1Cor 3, 1-2), it also points out what is wrong among them. He reminds the ministers that they are to be humble (1Cor 3, 5); reaffirms the equality among all the members of the community (1Cor 3, 6-10); reminds them that they are built upon the same foundation (1Cor 3, 11-15); they are the Temple and in them the Spirit of God is indwelling (1Cor 3, 16-17); A s so, at the conclusion of the chapter he alerts each member to not fall on merely human assessments (ministers specially) and manipulative attitudes (1Cor 3, 18-23)  [22]  . 1. Paul feeds his babies in Christ (1 Cor 3, 1-2- lexical analysis) ÃŽÅ ¡Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³Ãƒ Ã… ½, à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯, ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ º à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÂ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿-ÃŽÂ ½ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿-à Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ ½ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡, à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÃ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ·. ÃŽÂ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ ¶Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã…’à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±, ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚  ÃŽÂ ²Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¶ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ã‚ · ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚ ¬ Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ° ÃŽÂ ³Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ °Ãƒ Ã‚  à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µ. à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¾Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ² à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ ÃŽÂ ½Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¦ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ ÃŽÂ ´Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µ, Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were not yet able to receive it. In fact, you are still not able Chose key words analysis Relations with other Pauline passages and biblical texts In 1Cor 3 Paul has a corrective tone, even though it is still very affectionate. There can be find the maternal imagery once again, but this time it assumes a different approach. The newness lies in the action of feeding with milk, and calling the community babies/children (ÃŽÂ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡). Actually here is notorious the difference from 1Tess 2 because Paul juxtaposes metaphors of mother and father to express his relationship with the community at Corinth  [23]  . It is a clear that this familiar metaphor starts right away with the word brothers (à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯). But instantaneously he changes his discourse, calling these brothers little children, the ones who should see Paul as someone capable of feeding them spiritually. He does not feed them with solid food because they were immature in terms of faith. It is also very interesting that Paul uses a contrast between milk (ÃŽÂ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±) and solid food(ÃŽÂ ²Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¶ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±). Various scholars have intended to give a meaning to this contrast. For example Raymond Collins claims that given that Paul does not propose two types of membership in the church or two levels of preaching and acceptance of the gospel message, any pursuit of specific references for milk and solid food seems to be inconsistent with his thought. It is also right that Paul does not say that he has provided solid food to anyone. Surely the pursuit for specific references for milk and solid food is not what should be done mainly because it deprives Pauls metaphor of its rhetorical force. It is simple for us to get the sense of the contrast between milk and solid food: it fits with Pauls metaphorical description of the Corinthians as mere infants. Proclaiming themselves to be fully mature, they are really like infants who can onl y drink milk, incapable as they are of eating solid food  [24]  . Even the phrase construction has some implications for our interpretation: Paul uses the phrase have given to drink milk; this use of the past perfect tense shows the maternal affection with witch Paul nourished them. Raymond Collins also explains that, in another way, Paul intended to describe himself as a servant of Jesus, and so is a keeper of his little brothers  [25]  . Note: compare to 1 Cor 4,14-15 (Im not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. For you can have ten thousand instructors in Christ, but you cant have many fathers. Now I have fathered you in Christ Jesus through the gospel.); 1Cor 15, 8 (Last of all, as to one abnormally born, He also appeared to me.) 2. Rhetoric of excess metaphor in the context Context itself Parenetic perspective Affective perspective Theological perspective Apocalyptical perspective Other sources (ancient world use of this imagery) 3. Before the modern psychology Letter to the Galatians There were some problems among the Galatians, so Paul in writing them rehearses a number of perspectives with the goal of strengthening those Christians, who were influenced by Judaizing Christians. On this letter Paul shows some fury about this going to the extreme of calling the Galatians foolish Galatians (3, 1). Hence, freedom and unity in Christ are central themes of Pauls letter to the Galatians. About the authorship all the scholars (except a few radical critics) accept that Paul wrote this letter and it is considered as a standard example of Pauls style and theology. The proximity of themes between the letter to the Galatians, second Corinthians and Romans (particularly connected by the controversy over the role of the Jewish Law in Gentile churches) may perhaps point out that these tree letters were written during the same time. If that is true, is also true that it doesnt help much on defining an exact year when this letter was written. It is still a fascinating historical puzzle, but the outcome does not have much effect on the interpretation of the major themes of the letter. Despite all the controversies it is at least generally accepted that this letter was written after the so-called second missionary journey (after Acts 18, 22), sometime between 53 and 57  [26]  . Following Murphy-OConnor, Paul wrote this letter on the first year that he has staying at Ephesus ( between 52 and 53)  [27]  . On its constitution this letter shows some influence of the a regular appearance of an ancient letter form. As Betz does, the letter can be grouped as follows: Epistolary Prescript (1, 1-5); Exordium (introduction, 1, 6-11) Narratio (narration, 1, 12-2, 14); Propositio (proposition, 2, 15-21); Probatio (confirmation, 3, 1-4, 31); Exortatio (5, 1-6, 10); Peroratio (epistolary postscript or conclusion, 6, 11-18)  [28]  . In a simpler way, as G. W. Hansen does, this letter can be divide in four sections: salutation (1, 1-5); rebuke (1, 13-4, 11); request section (4, 12- ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­6, 10) and subscription (6, 11-18). On the salutation Paul stats clearly that he is an apostle (so he is speaking with authority), calling to mind already the unavoidable reality that as to follow Christians at all times with all its mystery: the Cross. After that Paul starts to censure the Galatians using not just his own live as an argument (cf. 1, 13-2, 21) but also the scripture (3, 6-21). Than Paul tu rns from rebuke to request: become as I am (4, 12) is the starting statement of a section where Paul uses again his own live (4, 12-20) and an allegory from the scripture (4, 21-31) to ask the Galatians not just to understand him but also to change their lives. Ending the letter Paul does it as was common in Hellenistic letters: he summarizes all the contents and, also, shows how confident he is on the conversion of the Galatians. Particularly in Gal 4, Paul writes about Galatians first experience of Christianity and all its main roots: the newness of the Gospel overcomes all of the Law (vv. 1-7); their conversion to Christ was a joyful choice (vv. 17-18); the community has a close relationship with Paul and they participate in his mission (vv. 12-16); there is negativity in those who wanted to pervert Pauls preaching (vv. 17-18). In verses 19 and 20, the ones important here, Paul shows his affection for the community. Finally, this chapter ends with a biblical argumentation which intends to explain that the primacy of Christ above the Law is already contained in the same Law. 1. Paul has labor pains lexical analysis à Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ­ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± ÃŽÂ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦, ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬Å"à Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ° ÃŽÂ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ­Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ÃŽÂ ¿Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½- ÃŽÂ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã¢â‚¬ ¡ ÃŽÃ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à ¡Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿-ÃŽÂ ½Ã‚ · My children, again I am in the pains of childbirth for you until Christ is formed in you. Chose key words analysis Relations with other Pauline passages and biblical texts Focusing on the verses 19 and 20 the verb à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ° (that translated means having labor pains) calls the attention right away. The use of this verb presumes a double significance: in one way it expresses force in the sense that Paul has difficulty giving birth to his spiritual sons into a perfect life of faith; in another way, Paul recognizes the frailty of those little ones, meaning that they dont yet have spiritual strength to resist the attacks coming from outside thinkers. Paul shows, at the same time, that the ones at the head of a community should have a diligent presence in their communities, considering the little ones as a priority. The fact stated by Paul is also important that this birth only progresses as the community lets Christs body take shape among them. They still have to grow spiritually as individuals and as a community. The adverb à Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½, meaning once again also worthy of note. It tells us that this suffering is not the first time for Paul. Christ must be formed in the Galatians once more, i.e., the Galatians must be conformed to the crucified Christ (2:19-20)  [29]  . 2. Rhetoric of excess metaphor in the context Context itself Parenetic perspective Affective perspective Theological perspective Apocalyptical perspective Other sources (ancient world use of this imagery) Raymond Collins argues that, by writing this two these two short verses, Paul transmits what a mother would feel about her own children: just before his exposition of the Sarah-Hagar allegory, Paul writes to the Galatians as a frustrated mother might do: My little children (teknamou), for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth (odino) until Christ is formed in you, I wish I were present with you now and could change my tone, for I am perplexed about you (4:19-20)  [30]  . As Collins continues, even though the internal image is still current, he says that the meaning in this context is quite different from that of the other metaphor found in the letter to the Thessalonians: in 1Tess 2, 7-8 Paul uses this metaphor to show the affection he had for them while he was with the community; in Gal 4, 9, on the other hand, the image of mother that he applies to himself is used to speak about the sufferings caused by the community. This image gets stronger if placed together the two idea s transmitted by Paul: in one way, Paul feels again labor pains (à Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ à ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ´ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °); in another way, he continues to be puzzled until Christ is formed (ÃŽÂ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ °ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ¿Ã¢â‚¬ ¡ ÃŽÃ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡) in them. See also Gal 1, 15-16 (But when God, who from my mothers womb set me apart and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me, so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone.) 3. Before the modern psychology Letter to the Romans The letter to the Romans as J. Dunn explains his bold least controversial of the major New Testament letters and the most important. Actually this text is a well-developed theological statement by a Christian theologian and one which has had incalculable influence on the framing of Christian theology ever since. About the author is accepted (as it has been accepted through the centuries) that the letter to the Romans was written by Paul. Most of the scholars would point its date somewhere between the year 55 and 57, probably when Paul stayed at Corinth for three months. Surely Paul had to calm down and concentrate himself as to write this marble piece of work  [31]  . About the recipients should be noted that some manuscripts omitted the word Rome, so is needed to search deeper for who were to be the recipients. As Paul himself states some of the recipients would be Jews: as known there was a large Jew community in Rome in the first century (between 40,000 and 50,000). It is also known, from the letter to Galatians, that there were some Christians over there bringing the Gospel to the circumcised (Gal 2, 9). Actually those Christians had a fruitful ground among the Gentiles proselytes and God-fears who were attached to many Diaspora synagogues as the book of Acts points out. So not just for Jews but also for Gentiles: to Jew, but also to Gentile (Rom 1, 16; 2, 9-10; 3, 9; 3, 29; 9, 24; 10, 12). Actually Paul writes not only addressing special groups of people but seeing the larger social context. Actually Jews, Christians and Gentiles attached to Judaism were largely influenced by Roman culture. Also there were among them some issues to resolve, a t the least because they didnt have a central spiritual at authority in Rome. About the purposes of this letter can be said that they are drawn from the context that was just described. For sure one of the goals of Pauls letter was to provide a support base for his project mission to Spain (cf. Rom 15, 24-28). Also Paul had an apologetic purpose because he felt himself and his understanding of the gospel under attack and needing to be justified. So this letter is an apology of the Gospel and also self apology, since his whole lifes work was bound up with the gospel preached. Altogether with his purpose the letter shows a pastoral reason mainly because Paul was writing to heal potential or real divisions among churches in Rome. Attempting to have a general understanding of the argument of the letter it can be divided it in seven parts. Firstly an introduction in wh